PURPOSE: To evaluate the effects of exercise training on ergometric test and Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring (ABPM) in normotensive individuals with exaggerated blood pressure response to exercise. METHODS: We studied 22 sedentary and normotensive subjects (mean 44±1 years old) showing an exaggerated systolic blood pressure response (SBP>220mmHg) during a cycloergometric test. These individuals were divided in two groups: sedentary hyperreactive group (SHG) and trained hyperreactive group (THG). The THG was submitted to a 4 month aerobic exercise training program. RESULTS: A program of moderate aerobic exercise did not reduce (P>0.05) ABPM blood pressure levels. However, in the submaximal loads of dynamic exercise we observed a significant fall in the SBP and heart rate (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Normotensive individuals with exaggerated blood pressure response to dynamical exercise submitted to physical training presented a reduction in their systolic blood pressure and heart rate response during the submaximal loads of the cycloergometric test. The ABPM blood pressure values, however, did not change in both groups. These results suggest the involvement of the sympathetic nervous system in the exaggerated blood pressure response observed in these individuals during dynamic exercise and a corresponding reduction of the sympathetic tonus after training. This effect, apparently, did not extend to their daily activities.
ABPM; hyperreactive response; ergometric test
